USCGC Bertholf Returns From RIMPAC 2018

September 4, 2018 – Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf returned Tuesday to their homeport in Alameda following a nearly 90-day deployment to the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California where crewmembers participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018, the world’s largest multi-national naval exercise.

Bertholf crewmembers executed and assisted in several boardings, humanitarian response scenarios and war-at-sea exercises during RIMPAC which were designed to strengthen international relations with allied navies. Twenty-five nations, 46 ships and five submarines, about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in RIMPAC.

Bertholf served as the task force commander for the multi-national, Combined Task Force (CTF) 175, which included naval units from Japan, the Philippines, Peru and France.

“The crew performed superbly, and we were able to show our Coast Guard skills with navies from around the pacific,” said Capt. John Driscoll, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf.

The Bertholf crew sailed to San Diego following RIMPAC to conduct Tailored Ship’s Training Availability which assessed the crew’s capabilities and operational readiness through testing and evaluation. During TSTA, the crew executed engineering, medical, damage control, navigation, force protection and combat systems oriented drills and exercises.